I knew we should have been faster. Now we are running behind. I hate being late. Even if the reason was fairly enjoyable. "They've got to start the poll, Josh. It's 7:05."

"It's ten to seven."

Why does he argue with me? I can tell time. This is my job. This is how I contribute. "No, it's really not."

"It's 7:05?"

"Yeah."

"That's ridiculous."

"I'm not making it up."

"My watch says ten to seven."

"That's 'cause your watch sucks." I really should just get him a new watch. If we cancel the P.O. Box, we'd have the money in a couple months.

"My watch is fine."

"Your watch says ten to seven."

"How do I know it isn't ten to seven?" I hear the humor in his voice. Now he's just playing with me. But really. We don't have time for this.

"'Cause those large clocks on the wall that are run by the U.S. Navy, say your watch sucks. In fact, they say your watch sucks in four different time zones."

As we stop at CJ's office, I can hear that Toby is razzing her. I guess everyone is in a mood today.

"Guys, do you know it's five after seven?" But they ignore me. CJ walks out the other door, and Toby and Ginger follow. I fall into place next to Bonnie.

"It's five after seven." I tell her. Maybe she'll listen to me, then maybe someone will listen to her. But she just shrugs her shoulders at me. I guess she doesn't care, or it's not a battle she's willing to fight.

As we walk through the hall, Josh and Toby continue to argue with CJ about the questions. Something about being considered average. Of course Josh would consider it pejorative to be considered average. He's way above average. He's brilliant. He also sucks at telling time.

Finally, CJ seems to get that it's time to start. Of course, everyone listens to her. She's a badass. I wanna be CJ when I grow up.

. . . . . .

The next morning, I'm looking for Josh, who is of course running behind again. Keeping that man on task is a full time job. In fact, it's my full time job. 24/7

"They might put it on the table." Ah, there he is, just follow the sound of his exasperated voice.

"They won't put it on the table." As soon as I hear Kenny, I know what's going on. He's with Joey. Again.

"They might…"

"They won't."

"I'm saying if they do put it on the table…"

"They won't."

"Is there any possibility you're going to let me finish a sentence? Is there any chance at all that that's going to happen?"

Sure enough, I find Josh in Joey Lucas's office, flirting. I suppose technically they are arguing but I know flirting when I see it. Especially my husband's brand of flirting. Normally I'd barge in, but something compels me to hang back, out of sight. Seeing Josh behave like this is disconcerting. No, that's not it exactly, I've seen him behave like this before. This is different. It's something about her. I don't know why, but this just stings more than usual.

Joey signs something and then Kenny says, "You don't have to raise your voice to me."

To which, predictably, Josh raises his voice even more. I know the pattern well. "How the hell do you know if I'm raising my voice to you?"

"I guessed!" Joey answers herself, smirking while she does.

Meanwhile, Josh still hasn't noticed me yet. He's too focused on Joey.

"You're here to give me a counter argument on English as the official language of the United States. You are not here to speculate on whether or not the Republicans are going to put the issue on the table."

"Okay!" Joey answers.

"Good!" Josh responds.

Then Joey signs something to Kenny again. I'm pretty sure whatever it was, wasn't complimentary to Josh.

"What'd she say?" Josh just has to know.

"They won't." Kenny responds.

"Okay, look…" Josh starts in again, But I finally make myself known.

"Josh."

"What?" He asks irritably. Great, just what I need today, for him to take his frustration out on me.

"You wanted me to let you know when C.J. started talking about the drug memo."

"C.J. started the briefing already?"

"A half hour ago."

"The briefing is not supposed to start 'til eleven."

"Guess what?"

"My watch sucks?"

"Yes, indeed." See. I can flirt too.

Josh looks back at Joey. "Okay, I'll be back and when I get back, you're going to argue with me and we're going to argue about the things I want to argue about and you're going to do your best not to annoy me so much."

Kenny translates Joey's response: "It's almost hard to believe you're not married."

My heart stops.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Josh shakes head, "Many have tried."

And my heart breaks. I know we are keeping this a secret, but does he have to sound like marriage is the worst thing that could happen to him? That he'd only do it if trapped? I didn't trap him. In fact, it was his idea!

He's completely oblivious to my internal heartache. As we walk away, he jumps off to another topic.

"Did Toby find a country?"

I try to stay in work mood, not showing my malaise. "The Federated States of Micronesia."

"Is that a real country?"

Instead, I try to banter with him, a little bit of flirting between the two of us would make me feel a lot better. "Yes, it's located 2500 miles southwest of Hawaii where you've never taken me."

But Josh isn't really playing. "When was I supposed to take you to Hawaii?" He answers flatly.

Gee, I don't know. Maybe if we'd had a honeymoon. Of course, I can't say that where someone might hear. So I try to keep my answer light. "Anytime. It's something bosses do."

"The Federated States of Micronesia." Josh repeats, obviously, he's staying in work mode.

But I can't help myself. "They have some of the best scuba diving in the world."

It would be nice if he'd at least acknowledge in some way that he'd like to vacation with me.

His "Okay" doesn't really sound like agreement. Now I won't be dissuaded. I plow on as we walk into his office.

"The Mantas, for instance, on the island of Yap, are prized among those who…"

"Stop talking, now." He tells me as he turns on the TV, where CJ's briefing is well underway. But I've got this between my teeth, and I can't just let it go.

"A guy takes his assistant on a quick trip to Maui. It's not like unheard of."

"Shhhh…"

I finally shut my mouth and lean back against the desk, trying to focus on CJ's briefing, so I don't think about the last few minutes. But it's no use. I find myself spiraling a bit.

Josh didn't find me witty, or amusing, or loveable. He only wanted basic information from me, then for me to keep my mouth shut. He's probably half listening to CJ and half thinking about getting back to the banter with Joey.

I feel kind of sick. Maybe this is it. Maybe two years of marriage is all I get. Maybe he found someone closer to his level, someone he can have a serious conversation with, who holds her own and doesn't ask so many questions. Maybe he's tired of me.

. . . . .

Somehow I drag myself through the day. Josh doesn't seem to need me for anything other than serving as his human watch. I type up a few notes for him at one point, but I bite my tongue on asking any questions about English as the National Language. He's made it obvious that he prefers to talk to Joey about it.

When it's time to head over to the polling center, he offers to let me go home. For a few minutes I wonder if he wants me to. Does he want to be on his own? Usually he likes having me around, especially if I can help run interference with Mandy. At least I know he's not interested in going back to her. She might be brilliant, but she's mean. Between Mandy and me, I already won.

But that's before he met Joey. Joey seems really brilliant too. And she's pretty nice. And she's funny.

When I tell him I'll go, he agrees with an indifferent shrug.

Sure enough, once we get there Josh and Joey start right back up. Even Mandy looks completely fed up with them.

After a few minutes, Josh quotes Theodore Roosevelt- "We have room for but one language here, and that is the English Language. For we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house."

I'm really glad when Kenny asks "What kind of boarding house?" It will save me from having to look up polyglot later. And it's nice to know that Josh stumped Joey with his vocabulary too.

"Polyglot. It means... ah... having knowledge of or speaking…"

But then Joey signs something and Kenny says- "I know what 'polyglot' means."

Josh seems taken back. "Then why did you ask me?"

"He asked you!" Joey shouts pointing to Kenny. Oh. I guess he didn't stump Joey. Well, at least Kenny didn't know either.

Josh doesn't let that slow him down. "My point is…"

"Will the two of you shut up, or the three of you. However many of you are talking, could half of you stop?"

I don't think I've ever been quite so glad to have Mandy jump into a conversation. For once she and I are on the same page.

CJ walks in, and I'm glad to see her too. Even though her tone is a little shrill when she asks- "What are you all doing here?"

"Here's another laid-back member of our team." Josh jokes.

But CJ just repeats herself. "What are you all doing here?"

"Mandy's here cause she's suppose to be." Josh points out. "Joey's here because Al Kiefer told her to stop by…"

"And what are you doing here?" CJ asks. And I for one would really like to know the answer to that question.

"I'm kind of in charge of morale." I wish he'd decide to be in charge of my morale. I kind of thought that was part of his job description. But the way he's acting, it's like I'm not even here.

"Josh." CJ's tone is chilling.

"The calls are going great." Josh offers in response, fairly oblivious to her unhappiness. That seems par for the course today.

"I'm trying to meet a deadline, Josh. I've got a 48-hour window and you can't stand here distracting the female callers."

See, even CJ recognizes his flirting and she knows that he can be distracting.

Josh calls out to the room- "Have I been distracting the female callers?"

I can't help but smirk a little when they call answer "No" together.

"Not even a little bit?" He whines, apparently his fragile ego is slightly bruised.

"This is what I'm saying." CJ points out.

Josh flips into somewhat professional mode- "The window's fine. It's a good response rate. They're making their quotas. Stop bothering me."

"Did Josh mention he's in charge of morale?" CJ quips to Joey.

"Yes, I am. And as such, I'm going out to get coffee for everyone 'cause a few hundred volts of caffeine is just what the Doctor ordered around here." Then he turns to Joey. "And you should've been more impressed that I was able to quote Theodore Roosevelt."

"I was impressed that you knew what 'polyglot' meant."

"760 S.A.T. word, baby."

As he leaves to get the coffee, he gives me a little head nod, that I recognize as an invitation to join him. I'm honestly surprised that he remembered I'm here, but I stand up to follow him. Because even if all I get is scraps, I love him more than is reasonable. I'll follow him to the ends of the earth, and I'll tell a hundred lies to keep his secrets.